I just wanted to get some feedback on this. Last time I went to the track 1st gear was just a waste to even start in. The car wouldn't hook for shit, I know its all about the throttle control but as soon as any boost built it would break loose, 2nd gear would hook really well though. Anyways here is want Im thinking. I have MS set to a 4k studderbox building some boost off the line. Start in 2nd gear and slip the clutch quickly. It may be a tad slower off the line but your eliminating the 1-2nd shift.
This is also on street tires! I did a few on the street the other day and the car didn't bog, still spun a little but was easily controlled with the throttle. I haven't done any timed 0-60s yet so I have no evidence if this is any faster than the normal start.
I have the clutch for it so Im not worried about breaking that, but what about the tranny? Like I said Im not dumping the clutch but slipping it out quickly so it should be fine right? I will be going back to the track in a few weeks so I think Im going to give this a try and see how it goes.
#6007, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 0
I don't know anything about boost and turbos but you 2nd gear launch is a good idea. You have the HP and say you have the clutch for it. I assume your motor mounts are tough. And it eliminates that 1-2 shift. You might fall a little at the 1/8 mark but shouls make up for it. You'll have to try it both ways though to see how you react to your own car. I grew up back in the muscle car days with GTO's, Mustangs, Firebirds, etc. and we 2nd launched all the time. Please let us know what you find out.
#6008, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 1
Just look over my logs from the last time at the track and 75% of my 1-2nd shift were around .48-.49s. One of my runs has about a .42s shift. So that almost half a second of acceleration that is lost. Unfortunately my next time at the track will be with a bigger turbo so I wont be able to compare to the 16g times but I will do both launches and see the differences in both techniques.
#6009, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 2
I tried the same on my 1g big power fwd car, although it would blast 2nd gear off on 22inch slicks. Yeah i dunno, i guess you'll have to do back to back passes to honestly make that choice.
As for comparing 2nd gear launches to v8 cars, your typical domestic V8 makes the pulling power(torque) to climb out of a longer gear ratio whereas a turbo 4 doesn't make the torque until that initial surge of boost and usually without expensive traction control it instigates wheel spin.
#6011, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 3
The track date is set to the 20th so I will have some results then. Also I have not had time to fit the new turbo on the car so I should have plenty of slips to compare.
#6012, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 4
Going to the track tmrw. The high for tmrw is 60* so it should be a great day to run. The car is now running a Td05 20g at 22psi. My 650s are getting into the 80-85% DC so thats as much boost as I can run till I upgrade. The car pulls a lot harder than with the 16g at the small boost level.
I will try launch in 1st and 2nd gear off the line. Getting videos also, ill post up some results next week.
#6013, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 5
Well the track day was a huge FAIL - I only got to make 2 runs down the track. The first one I launched in second but to hard and just burned the tires with equalled a horrible 60' also forgot to turn the boost controller on. The next run I started first. Again a bad launch but trapped 111.8mph. Clutch started slippin in 3rd on that run so it would have been a little more. I tried one more run and the clutch wouldn't hold any power. So just let it roll down the rest of the way down the track. That was all I was going to get out of it that day. So I have no results and cant even go back till I put something else in there. I though the stage 2 would have held the power but I guess not. Car holds 13psi now after it cooled off but engages much worse than before so Im thinkin I warped up something in there.
#6015, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 7
Yea the car is making power. Actually on that run the clutch started slippin in 3rd gear. For some reason the car got stupid rich and maxed my WB at 10.1 and it was pulled 3* timing from air temps. Car ran perfect on the way to the track I dont know why is ran rich but it should have trapped more than that.
#6016, "RE: 2nd gear launching" In response to Reply # 8
Originally posted by SilvrEclips Yea the car is making power. Actually on that run the clutch started slippin in 3rd gear. For some reason the car got stupid rich and maxed my WB at 10.1 and it was pulled 3* timing from air temps. Car ran perfect on the way to the track I dont know why is ran rich but it should have trapped more than that.
Sounds like when you went WOT you might have opened up a boost leak. I would start there.
---------------------------------------- 95 TSI AWD-500hp- sold 06 Acura TL- Pimpin aint easy 04 Evo Vlll- New Beater
